Machine for building



{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M. KEITH. MACHINE FOR BUILDING WIRE AND PIGKET FENUES.

No. 405,890. Patented June 25, 1889..

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.

J. M. KEITH. MACHINE FOR BUILDING WIRE AND PIUKET FENCES.

Patented June 25, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phommna n hm wmhin wn, 0.6

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

JEssE M. KEITH, OF ALBANY, OREGON.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING WIRE-AND-PICKET FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,890, dated June 25,1889.

Application filed March 5, 1889. Serial No. 301,905. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that JESSE M. KEITH, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Albany, in the county of Linn and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for BuildingVireand-Picket Fences; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for constructing wire and picketfences.

The object is to produce a fence-making machine which shall be simple ofconstruction, efficient and durable in use, and comparativelyinexpensive of production.

\Vit-h these objects view the invention consists in the improvedconstruct-ion and combination of parts of a fence-machine, as will behereinafter fully described in the specification, illustrated in thedrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and inwhich like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1is a side elevation of my complete device, showing the twistingmechanism, the tension-board, and reels for containing the wire used inconstructing the fence. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of thetwisting mechanism,taken on the linear: c of Fig. Fig. 3 is a front viewshowing more particularly the handle to be used in moving the device,the crank for operating the twisters, and the step on which the picketsrest when being twisted. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thetensionboard, showing its peculiar construction. Fig. 5 is a detail viewof one of the twisters. Fig. 6 is a detail view of an adjustable step,on which the pickets rest when being secured in place, and Fig. 7 isadetail view of another form of. twister. Fig. 8 represents an enlargeddetail view of the step and guide 011 the uprights.

Referring to the drawings, A A designate two uprights which form thesides of the twisting portion of the device. These uprights may be madeof any suitable material,

but preferably, in this instance, of wood securely bolted together.Extending through these uprights are a number of openings 1 and 2, thelarger openings 1 being designed for the reception of the twisters B,and the smaller ones for the shafts 3 of the gearwheels 4, which operatethe said twisters in a manner that will be hereinafter fully described.The twisters are constructed with a flange 5 on each side, which extendat right angles to the body portion of the twister and are adapted tolit in the openings 1 and form bearings fort-he twisters. The bodyportion proper extends beyond these flanges and fits in a recess 6,formed in the inner side of the uprights and surrounding the openings 1,and prevents the twisters working out when operated. The periphery ofthe body portion is provided with teeth 7, designed to be engaged by thegear-wheels 4 on the shaft 3. Upon the body portion and within theflanges is a plate 9, which may be either cast integral with the twisteror secured thereto by means of any suitable form of fastening device,and radiating from this plate is a series of slits 10, through which thewire to be twisted is inserted. These slits are arranged at differentdistances from the center of the twister, so as to admit of pickets ofdifferent sizes being secured in place. Each slit, however, terminatesat the plate 9, which is rounded on its edges to prevent the wire beingcut when undergoing twisting. One edge of each of the uprights is alsoprovided with slits 11, registering with the slits in the twisters, andthrough these slits the wire is passed to the same.

0 designates brackets which are secured to one side of the uprights.\Vithin these brackets are mounted two shafts 12 and 13. The shaft 12carries on its inner end a bevel-gear 14, designed to engage thebevel-teeth 15 on the center twister 16, and between the brackets is agear-wheel 17, which is engaged by a gear-wheel 18 on the shaft 13. Acrank 19 is also secured to this shaft for imparting motion to all thetwisters through the gearwheels 4, as will be readily understood byreferring to the drawings. The upper and lower ends of the frame fit incaps or sockets 20 21, the lower one 21 having lugs 22 cast thereon,

form height.

in which is journaled a roller 23 for facilitating the movement of thedevice from one point to another.

D designates a guide which is secured to the side of one of theuprights. Within this guide works an L-shaped rest or step 24., providedwith a series of openings 25, adapted to be engaged by a pin 26 in theguide. .The object ofthis rest is to regulate the height of the picketsabove the ground, so that in constructing a fence all of the picketswill be of a uni- By means of the openings 25 and pin 26 the step may beadjusted tovarious heights, to suit the requirements of the operator.Above the seat or step, and in line with the same, are a number ofshoulders or knockers 27, against which the pickets rest,

and which are used to drive the pickets to a perpendicular wires.

E designates the tension-board. On each side of the same are secured aseries of semicircular lugs orshoulders 28, between, which the wires 29are passed. As many lugs may be used for each wire as desired; but it ispreferable to have about five, as that number has been found to hold thewire under proper tension while being twisted.

F designates the reels for containing the wires used in constructing afence, and as these are of the ordinary construction it is not thoughtnecessary to enter into a detailed description of the same.

' In constructing a fence with the herein-described device, after theposts have been T placed in position the twi sting-frame is placedposition when between the 11 in the edge ofthe frame and through theslits 10 in the twisters, the same being accomplished by rotating thetwisters, so as to bring the slit on the opposite side in line with theslits 11. When this has been done, the crank 19 is then rapidly rotated,thereby rapidly r0- tating all of the twisters and securing the picketsplaced between the wires in place. When it is desired to move th'edevice, it is only necessary to catch hold of the handle G and draw thedevice along, which may be readily done by means of the roller in thebottom casting. t

By using the form of twister shown in Fig. 7 it will not be necessary toremove the wire from the twister in case there should be a splice in thewire.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fence-machine, the combination of the uprights carrying thetwisters, the cups or sockets fitting on the upper and lower ends of theuprights, the piate or lug secured to the side of the uprights having anopening therein, an. angular step having the Vertical limb thereoffitting in the opening of the lug and having a series of perforations insaid limb, and the screw passing through the lug and adapted to engageone of the perforations of the step, substantially as described.

2. In a fence-machine, the combination, with the uprights, 0f the lug orguide having a slot or opening therein, theangular step having a seriesof openings in the vertical limb thereof, and the screw in the guideadapted to engage one of the perforations of the step to adj ust thesame to diiferentheights, substantially as described. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE M. KEITH. Witnesses:

O. H. IRVINE, S. W. REEoE.

